The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

The Big Sandy girls displayed the essence of Pioneer spirit in playing their most complete basketball game of the season Saturday on the heels of arguably their most difficult one.

The Pioneers posted their best offensive output of the season against visiting Chinook. They cracked the 30-point barrier for the first time with almost two and a half minutes still to play in regulation as Amy Gasvoda sank a hook shot.

The Sugarbeeters still won, 66-33. Yet the young Pioneers’ team could point to some crucial baby steps that indicate advancement in their game. The loss is their smallest margin of defeat in 2021 and the first time their score was no more than doubled. The deficit never triggered a running clock and beyond the stat lines, a full 32-minute effort earned the respect of the home crowd.

“We talk abut that all the time. We talk about hustle,” said Pioneers coach Pete Jerrel. “Down 25 (points), we’re still … trying to get ball pressure and find the open players. (Amy) is on the floor (chasing loose balls).”

The Pioneers came out in the first quarter aggressive, beating the Beeters’ fullcourt press and battling for rebounds. Avoiding a familiar problem with slow starts, Big Sandy benefited from a bucket barely a minute into the contest as Jaycee Worrall connected from just inside the three-point line, tying the game at 2-2. Another outside shot by Eva Wagoner kept it even at 4-4 before the Beeters began to make hay at the free-throw line. The Pioneers provided pressure but 5-foot-9 center Hallie Neibauer went 11-of-15 from the foul line, entirely in the first half, to begin to build a Chinook lead.

Big Sandy demonstrated some ability to muscle down low, too, however. Madison Terry capped the first quarter scoring going back up with an offensive rebound and Lainey Terry popped in another pair on a crafty inbounds pass from Wagoner. Gasvoda added a tally on her own trip to the line and later posted up from the low block.

The Pioneers finally connected on a trey two minutes into the second half with a splash by Wagoner. Gasvoda would lead the Pioneers with 9 points and Madison Terry added 7. Neibauer led Chinook with 15.

Big Sandy effectively bounced back from what could have been a demoralizing loss, 88-6, on Jan. 26 at 9C leader and state title hopeful Fort Benton. Then Friday’s visit to CJI got cancelled.

Jerrel liked his team’s physicality and resilience against Chinook.

“We keep playing like that, we can make (opponents) have to play hard,” he said. “(Chinook) knows they played a basketball game tonight.”

Besides beating the Chinook press, Big Sandy made the Beeters contend with their own, showing particular success with the defense in the second and third quarters.

The whole Pioneer team got involved and Jerrel is hopeful the experience helps prepare them for the rigors of the upcoming District 9C tournament.

“Even the bottom half of our bench came in and gave us some good effort, got us some rebounds and put up some shots,” he said.

The Pioneers next travel Friday to Box Elder and tip off at 3 p.m. at home Saturday against North Star.